The present invention relates to a musculoskeletal loading system for stimulating bone and muscle tissue.
Musculoskeletal tissues atrophy rapidly during periods of disuse, for example, during hospital stays or periods of prolonged bed rest. U.S. Pat. No. 7,662,115, and U.S. patent application 2010/0222722 describe devices for mechanically stimulating bone or muscle and suitable for use with bedridden patients, specifically those who cannot stand on a vibrating platform of the type conventionally used for such stimulation. These patents describe a harness system that pulls a vibrating platform against the sole of the foot as braced by restraining couplings attached at the knees and, optionally, also at the hips. This latter embodiment permits beneficial therapy to be applied to different segments of the jointed limb.